


ember courting

by tadok0ro



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Kissing, Other, no beta we typo like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:34:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29472528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tadok0ro/pseuds/tadok0ro
Summary: “I must confess…” Renathal continues, tracing over your features in a way that’s almost reverent. “I have thought about this all too often.”--A typical Ember Court turns into more than expected.
Relationships: Renathal (Warcraft)/You
Comments: 9
Kudos: 44





	ember courting

**Author's Note:**

> This one goes out to all my fellow Renathal Fuckers, I tried my best :')

The Ember Court is still humble in the ruined area of Sinfall, but there’s an enjoyment to it regardless. There’s something about taking the time to please guests and do simple tasks like giving them tea that’s a nice break from the earth and realm shattering developments or world-saving. A break is nice. 

But part of it is selfish, you know. You glance at Prince Renathal, dignified in his humble attire, drawing eyes even as he sits tucked away from the main entertainment. He  _ is _ a powerful figure in Revendreth, so it makes sense they would be looking at him and seeking him out, but just as he is powerful he’s  _ handsome.  _ Maybe not in the traditional sense of beauty standards on Azeroth, but there is a charm about him that’s undeniable. 

You can’t help but watch his profile as he talks to another venthyr, a member of House Primrose, the way his eyes crinkle in polite amusement at something they say, the elegant curve of his nose, the way his lips move as he speaks, flashing those fangs with every word.

You drag your eyes away from them, drawing them back up his face and realizing with a start that those blazing red eyes have slid from the venthyr in front of him to you, piercing in their intensity even from across Sinfall.

You jump and nearly trip over a dredger in front of you, your tray of tea wobbling dangerously in your hands, the tea cups clacking against each other as they slide around. You straighten it out before a real accident can happen thankfully, but your cheeks burn with embarrassment for being caught staring.

“‘Scuse me,” the dredger says, bowing out of the way. 

_ It’s my fault,  _ you want to say, but they’re already off to take care of other tasks. 

You look around to see if anyone saw your near-accident. Surely that would be some sort of grand faux-pas at a gathering such as this, but if anyone notices or cares, you can’t tell. Temel seems pleased with how things are going and your guests are still happy, so that’s good enough for you.

The tea goes cold before you can hand it all out, most of the guests already have some, but you're not one to slack. They're guests to impress and sway to your side, afterall. You head over to the refreshments booth and deposit the tray, ready to exchange for a fresh pot of tea.

"It will be a few moments, Maw Walker," Stefan tells you as Tubbins starts diligently brewing more tea, waving his hand dismissively as if to say 'go do something else in the meantime.'

You turn to walk towards where the guests have gathered for the entertainment, ready to mingle and perhaps judge some souls for their sins with the Accuser, but you end up running into a body in front of you. 

"Maw Walker," it’s Prince Renathal and you can hear the smile in his voice.

_ Oh no _ , is your first thought. Anxiety coils in your stomach and you wonder if he's going to call out your staring.

You crane your neck up to look at him. You somehow always forget just how tall he is and that's just another thing about him that is unsettlingly attractive. 

"How are you enjoying the Ember Court today?" He raises a brow, but your eyes are still drawn to his fangs, sharp and dangerous and looming over you. Renathal's smile falters and he looks almost self-conscious as he runs his tongue over his teeth. “Do I have something between my teeth?” 

_ I’d have to take a closer look,  _ you blurt out with very little tact or grace, fueled entirely by your desire to get up close to him and those fangs. Maybe if you'd planned this out you could have laced the words with a flirtatious tone, but no. This is the best you can offer. (You want to kick yourself.)

You like to think you’ve been subtle with your… fixation on Renathal, a distant appreciation of his looks and convictions as a leader that are both equally enamoring. Afterall, you don’t want to ruin the bond you’ve made with the venthyr or the work to rebuild Revendreth over some silly feelings, but it’s probably obvious to someone as old as him, someone from a realm that punishes those for  _ desiring _ , exactly how you’ve felt. And he probably knows what you’re thinking right now as embarrassing as it is, but at worst you can imagine him being amused by your mortal desires.

And sure enough a realization passes through his eyes, brows twitching up briefly and your breath catches either in anticipation or panic as you wait to see which way the scale of his reaction will tip.

“Oh!” He seems genuinely surprised and you can't tell if that's good or not. "Oh~" His face settles into a devilish smirk, eyes dark yet blazing as he looks down at you. You feel pinned under his gaze, hair standing on end as heat rises within you. "Maw Walker, you flatter me." You'd like to do much more than that, but he glances around and reminds you that you're still in the Ember Court, there are guests around and they're only a step away from Tubbins and Gubbins. (It probably wouldn't be the weirdest thing they've seen, being under Theotar's charge.) "...Perhaps we can slip away?" 

There’s precious little privacy in Sinfall, the only place you can think of to go is the ruined tower, but even then that doesn’t offer much cover. He places a hand on your shoulder, though, firm and commanding as he starts guiding you away. Clearly he has something in mind.

Sure enough, he leads you toward the tower, waving off guests that try to stop the two of you. He waves the guards at the tower away with a fib about vital intel needing urgent discussion and they're relieved to step away and take part in the festivities. 

You climb up the rubble of the ruined stairs to find a spot that won't immediately expose you both if someone walked in. It would be an eye full for any stoneborn or stone fiend that flew past, but it’s better than nothing. 

Renathal is all poise and composure, graceful even as he navigates over the uneven terrain, a faint smile to his lips all during the ascent. Amused, but a glint in his eye promises he’s scheming.

“Here we are,” he says, gesturing in a near-bow to motion you ahead of him. 

You follow his lead and stand there, staring up at him dumbly like you’re not sure what to do now that you have him where you’ve always wanted him. It doesn’t feel real, like if you reach out and touch him he’ll fade away and it’ll be some cruel illusion spawned from your own desires.

Renathal chuckles, looking down at you with a fond warmth that strikes you right in the chest, shaking the doubts from your head. He steps forward, looming all too enticingly, he’s warm- startlingly so- in a way you wouldn’t expect from someone in the land of the dead. He reaches up and caresses your face with a feather-light touch of his hand, the barest trace of his sharp nails trailing over your skin that makes your hair rise and cheeks burn.

“I must confess…” Renathal continues, tracing over your features in a way that’s almost reverent. “I have thought about this all too often.” His thumb ghosts over your lips, hoving there with the faintest twitch of restraint. 

_ Me too,  _ is what you want to say, but your throat is too dry for your voice to form coherent words.

Your tongue darts out to lick your lips before you can think and Renathal's gaze flicks down to catch the movement, eyes flaring. His hand grips your chin with an echo of the strength you know he possesses and tilts your head up, until you're craning your neck awkwardly and he’s leaning down just as awkwardly. Your eyes slip closed and you feel the warmth of his breath hit your face.

His lips press against yours just barely, almost tentative. The angle is off with the height difference and you can’t quite slot together the way you want, even when you rock forward onto your toes to attempt closing the distance better. He pulls away after a moment and even with the awkward first try and the strain in your neck, your lips tingle with a want for more.

“Hmm this won’t work at all…” Renathal mumbles to himself when he straightens his back, his brows knit together. You worry briefly if he’s rethinking this- that a venthyr like him and a mortal like you can’t possibly work in this way. “Here-” He dips down again, hands reaching around your middle and picking you up with ease, whirling around until you’re pressed between the stone wall and his body. Like this you’re face-to-face without any trouble and you can fully admire the pleased smile on Renathal’s lips when he takes in your flushed and flustered expression. “Much better.” And he leans in again.

When your lips connect this time it's gentle but the fit is much better when your height is matched. You both move slow, unsure, adapting to the feel of each other, fumbling now and then. He tastes of tea with a faint metallic tang underneath. Different, but not unpleasant.

He pulls away again and you want to ask if it’s okay, but he returns quickly, this time more urgent and your mouth opens in surprise. He licks into your mouth with an insistence, a curiosity. Is this his first time tasting a mortal? Yes, you think, and it sends a thrill through you knowing that for someone as ancient as Renathal, you will be a first- something unique. Your thoughts are chased away by another surge of his lips, overwhelming like a tidal wave crashing over you and you quickly get caught up in it. Your hands clamor for purchase, grabbing the back of his head and tangling your fingers in his hair.

It’s like he’s trying to devour you from the inside out and you’re more than happy to let him do it. 

One of his hands leaves your waist and trails lower to grip your thigh and he coaxes it up as if to wrap around him- so you do. You wrap both legs around him and pull him closer. He gasps into your mouth and you can feel his nails digging in through the fabric as his grip tightens. 

This could go farther you think, you  _ want _ it to go farther you realize as you run your fingers through his hair- as soft as you’d always imagine, but you’re also distantly aware of where you are.

Renathal seems to realize this as well because he breaks the kiss reluctantly, resting his forehead against yours as he tries to calm his ragged breath. 

"Maw Walker…" he breathes out, as ragged as his breath. He tilts his head as if to kiss you again and you find yourself arching to meet him, but he moves instead to kiss your cheek. Then a kiss under your jaw and you're rolling your head to the side, baring your neck to him. That earns you a pleased hum from him when the next kiss lands on your neck, open mouthed and slow. He laps at the skin there as if savoring the taste. "I had no idea mortals could taste so… thrilling." His voice is dark, carefully restrained, breath ghosting across your skin making you shiver.

He descends on your neck again slowly, almost experimentally, placing more kisses there. Then you feel them. His fangs grazing over the skin of your neck. Then he bites gently, pressure teasingly light, not enough to break the skin but enough that it has your blood pumping either out of fear or excitement or a combination of both and then- 

_ Ting ting ting. _

Below in the Court you hear the Accuser announce it will be ending soon and reality asserts itself once again for both of you. Renathal removes his mouth from your neck after a moment's pause and then rests his forehead against yours, eyes closed.

“It seems we cannot hide away any longer,” he sighs, pulling away reluctantly. 

A greedy part of you wants to yank him back and keep going, but you know with the closing of the Court they will be looking for both of you. More than anything you don’t want to be caught in such a position, you don’t want to cause any more problems for Renathal because surely there’d be whispers and rumors and all sorts of things that could potentially tarnish his image in the eyes of his peers. 

He gently lowers you down from the wall and you nearly fall trying to stand on your own two feet again, knees still weak and legs like jelly. But he catches you and holds you steady. You straighten out your clothes and brush dust and ash off them as best you can and you see Renathal doing the same, brushing out his disheveled hair with his fingers. The only issue is the spot on your neck, which you hope hasn’t bruised into something glaringly obvious….

“Perhaps,” Renathal breaks the awkward silence between you, “we could continue this another time?” His voice is tentative, almost shy, like he did just ravish you mindless just a couple of minutes ago.

You aren’t sure when or where you’ll have the chance or privacy to do this again, but you nod enthusiastically regardless. 

\--

The Accuser is there to meet you at the bottom of the tower, lips pursed and arms crossed. Gresit and a gaggle of chained souls linger just outside waiting for her.

“I hope whatever  _ intel _ you needed to discuss was important enough to abandon the court.” She glances between the two of you, judgemental gaze overwhelming with its pressure and you want to shrink under it. Her ire settles firmly on Renathal.

“Ah yes! It’s nothing you need to worry about.” He waves a hand dismissively. “I will see the guests off now.” And he slips past her quickly, back to where the guests are mingling in the afterparty. 

Her eyes narrow at his retreating form like she  _ knows  _ and then flick back to you. 

“I hope you had  _ fun _ , Maw Walker.”


End file.
